Marriages: Just the one!Divorces: None.Children: Two, also three grandchildren.Pets: Not now. Lots in the past though. At Peak Animal we had: Two ponies, two goats, two cats, two hens. Have also kept guinea pigs, hamsters and rats.Surgeries: Tonsils as a child and hysterectomy twenty years ago.Tattoos: NonePiercings: EarsQuit a job: We closed our business in the early 90s, thus making ourselves redundant. I also left one teaching job to go to another college with better pay.Been to an island: This is an odd question for a Brit. Britain is an island, but I've also been to other islands such as Anglesey, Isle of Wight, Isle of Mull, Barra, Isle of Dogs (LOL! That one isn't an actual island any more).What do you drive: Daihatsu 4-trakFlown on a plane: Quite a few times. Mostly fairly short flights of a couple of hours but I've been to the USA twice and South Korea once.Favourite drink: Depends on the time of day and the circumstances. Tea, wine, elderflower presse are current favourites, occasionally cocoa is just what I want.Fallen in love: I don't really like that term as that's not what happened with G and I. More a growing into love.Been cheated on: No.Rode in an ambulance: Once as a child.Sang Karaoke: No.Ice skating: As a kid at the ice rink.Been surfing: Nope.Been on a cruise: The idea of a cruise fills me with horror. Absolutely not something that appeals.Rode on a motorcycle: NoOwn a motorcycle: NoRode on a horse: Yes. I rode whenever I could as a child and kept horses for about 20 years as an adult.Almost died: No.Stayed in a hospital: Yes.Favourite fruit: Difficult to say. Possibly peaches, also melon.Favourite day: As I'm retired, all days are good. :)Favourite colour: GreenLast phone call: Received -- from neighbour who is away on holiday and wanted to check all was OK at home. Made -- to step brother about a bunch of keys.Last text: To brother, also about the bunch of keys.Watch someone pass: Yes, unfortunately.Coffee or tea: I loved coffee, but it doesn't agree with me any more, so it's just as well I like tea.Favourite Pie: All pies are good, both sweet and savoury.Favourite pizza: Classic Italian with ham, mushroom and black olives.Cats or dogs: Both. Though I've never had a dog I used to walk one for some elderly friends. We had cats for years and they become part of the family.Favourite season: Late spring/early summer when it's warm enough to go out without a coat but there aren't any midges yet.Favourite Holiday: Difficult. Probably Easter because it's when the days are lengthening and there is the prospect of summer to come. Also chocolate!

When I think of cruises, two very different things come to mind. One is the ridiculous "floating resort" thing they have in the Mediterranean and Caribbean, and the other is the type of wildlife-viewing cruise they have on the Inland Passage of Alaska, with maybe 30-100 people who bundle up warm and look at the killer whales and glaciers and such.

That makes me wonder - is that type of cruise, on a smaller ship for people interested in nature, also found in Europe?

I think they are, though of course Europeans will also fly to Greenland and Alaska to do that kind of cruise there.

I might possibly be open to the idea of a river cruise down the Rhine. The boats are much smaller than the floating resort type of cruise ship and the point is to stop at interesting places and go sightseeing. Similarly, a cruise round an interesting coastline, (perhaps the Greek islands?) stopping at ports and being allowed plenty of time ashore for sightseeing might be something I would consider.

I have a very vivid memory of being 11 or 12 and walking on the path from the lighthouse in my icon back down to the picnic area, while my mom was telling me about her dream of going on a cruise down the Rhine. She'd been to Ireland with my dad, and much later in life she went to England, Spain, France, Switzerland, Crete, and (more times than she wanted) to Italy, but she never made it to the Rhine.